Doweling-machine



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

C. LOETSCHER. DOWELING MACHINE.

No. 545,298. Patented Aug. 27,1895.

' WITNESSES. (q/IVVEIVTOH ATTORNEYS.

' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) I

G. LOETSCHER. DOWELING MACHINE. No-545,298. Patented Aug. 27,1895.

ATTORNEYS.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No ModeL) O. LOETSOHER.

DOWBLING MACHINE.

110545298. Patented Aug. 2'7, 1895.

@iilnvsssw INVENTOH BY M [b mm ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN LOETSOHER, OF DUBUQUE, IO vVA.

DOWELING- MACHINE.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,298, dated August27, 1895.

Application filed December 6, 189 1-- To aZZ whom it may concern- Be itknown that I, CHRISTIAN Lonrsonnn, of Dubuque, county of Dubuque, andState of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Doweling-Machine, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to woodworking ma chinery; and its object is toprovide a new and improved doweling-machinewhich is comparativel ysimple and durablein construction and more especially designed to drivedowelpins into mortised joints, such as are found in sashes, doors, andother similar articles.

The invention consists in the novel arrangement and construction ofparts hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view of the improvement as applied. Fig. 2 isan enlarged side elevation of the dowel-feed. Fig. 3 is an enlargedcross-section of part of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. isa like view of another part of the same on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig.5 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the head, plunger, andadjacent parts. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the head with part insection. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 8 is a sectionalplan view of the same on the line 8 8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is an enlargedside elevation of one of the dowels; and Figs. 10 and 11 are enlargedsectional elevations of the head and the plunger in two differentpositions, the ferrule B being omitted.

The improved doweling-machine is provided with a head A, formed with acentral bore A, and removably connected at its upper end by a pin A witha slot B of a ferrule B, secured on a handle B, adapted to be taken holdof by one hand of the operator, as indicated in Fig. 1.

In the central bore A of the head A reciprocates a plunger 0, secured atits upper end on a shank 0", made somewhat larger in diameter and fittedto slide in the central bore formed in the handle B. On the upper end ofthis shank O is held a collar 0 adapted to be taken hold of by theoperator to raise the said shank G and the plunger 0 for per- Serial No.531,030. (We model.)

mitting a dowel-pin D to pass into the central bore A, as hereinaftermore fully described.

Into the central bore A leads a side feedopening A, for the passage ofthe dowel-pins D, the latter passing through a feed-pipe E. secured inthe lower portion of the handle B and-extending at an angle therefrom.The feed-pipe E is connected at its outer end with a feed-channel F,formed by a spirally wound wire, the central opening of which issomewhat larger than the diameter of the dowels D. The upper end of thisflexible feed-channel F is connected with a feeding and assorting deviceG, as hereinafter more fully described, and is held somewhat elevatedabove the work, as indicated in Fig. 1.

In the upper hollowed out end of the head A is fitted to. slide a collarH, through which passes the plunger 0, the top of the said collar beingformed with a countersink H adapted to be engaged by the beveled lowerend C of the shank O. A spring I, resting in a seat A on the head A,presses with its upper end the under side of the collar H, to hold thelatter normally in an uppermost position-that is, resting against theunder side of the handle B. It will be observed that the dowel-feedpassage is inclined relatively to the line of motion of the collar H,and thus the vertical motion of the collar will be sufficient to cause abinding action on the dowel.

In the collar H is arranged an opening H in alignment with the feed-pipeE and opening A so that the dowel or pin D can pass from the feed-pipe Ethrough the said opening H into the opening A and from the latter to thecentral bore A at the time the plunger 0 is in an uppermost position.

In the upper end of the head A is located a dowel-retaining device,which, as shown,consists of a pivoted gravity-pawl J, adapted to engagewith its free end the dowel or pin D, extending in the lower end of thepipe Eand the opening H, as indicated in Fig. 5. The pawl J is adaptedto be engaged by the upper edge of the collar H, so that the spring I inforcing the collar H upward causes the latter to press the pawl J incontact with the dowel or pin D when extending with its lower end intothe opening 11', as illustrated by Fig.-10. When the collar H, however,is pressed downward by the operator striking the upper end of the shankO with a mallet or other tool, then the pawl J is released from thecollarH, and consequently swings outward by its own weight to releasethe dowel or pinD contained in the pipe E and collar H. (See Fig. 11.)

The feeding device G is provided with a receptacle G, adapted to containthe dowelpins D, each one of which is formed at both of its ends with apoint, as is plainly indicated in Fig. 9.

The receptacle G is supported on a suitable bracket K, suspended abovethe work in a suitable manner, and the said receptacle G is provided atits open front end with a spout G the sides of which are V-shaped, as atG and plainly indicated in Fig. 3. The lower end of this spout Gterminates in a ridge G formed on top with a slot or recess madesegmental in cross-section for the passage of a dowel or pin, asindicated in Fig. 4. The lower end of this ridge G is provided with astop-plate G containing a central through aperture G for the passage ofa dowel-pin when passing into a short tube G with which the upper end ofthe elastic feed tube or channel F is connected.

Now the distance between the lower end of the spout G and the stopplateG is about the length of a full-sized dowel or pin D, so that in caseone dowel travels down the spout G with another lying crosswise on itstop, then this second dowel, after leaving the lower end of the spout Gwill drop off the same and over the sides of the ridge G into a pail Nor other receptacle suspended beneath the ridge, as indicated in Figs. 1and 2. In case the flexible feed-tube F is dispensed with and a verticalsolid tube is employed in its stead, then the spout G is provided with aspring-pressed pawl or hand-lever L to prevent the dowels from passinginto the feed-tube after the latter is once filled, it being understoodthat the filling takes place from time to time as the dowels are used upfrom the tube. 1

The operation is as follows: When the several parts are in the positionillustrated in Fig. 5, then the operator takes hold with his left handthe handle B and places the head A onto the work, so that the bore A isin alignment with the place of the work into which the dowel is to bedriven. The operator now raises his left hand sufficiently to engage thecollar 0 to lift the shank O of the plunger 0 until the lower end of thelatter is above the lower or entrance end of the opening A into the boreA. By doing so the dowel D contained in the opening A can now pass byits own gravity into the bore A and down the same to rest with its lowerpointed end on the desired place of the work. (See Fig. 10.) Theoperator then again takes firm holdof the handle B, and with his righthand strikes with a mallet O on the upper end of the shank C to drivethe plunger 0 downward and to force the dowel D into the material of thework, thus fullydriving and embedding the dowel in the wood. The shank Oin sliding downward in the bore by the stroke given it by the malletcauses its lower end 0 to engage and press the collar H until the lowerend rests on the top of the recessed upper end of the head A, at thesame time compressing the spring I. (See Fig. 11.) The downward motionof the plunger 0 and its shank C is thus limited, and consequently theplunger 0 drives the dowel D only the desired distance into the wood.The downward movement of the collar H releases the pawl J, as previouslydescribed, so that the said pawl swings away from the dowel contained inthe lower end of the pipe E, and this dowel can now pass downwardthrough the opening 11 in the collar 11 into the opening A resting withits lower end against one side of the plunger 0. After the blow of themallet has spent its force on the shank C the spring I will return thecollar H to its normal uppermost position, so that the pawl J is pressedinward by the collar to move in contact with the next dowel D, whichslides down from the upper portion of the tube E to the lower endthereof, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 11.

It will be seen that by the operation described it-is impossible formore than one pin ata time to get down into the opening A and also toget into the bore A. The above-described operation is then repeated-thatis. the head A is moved over to the next place in the work, the shank Cis lifted for a dowel-pin to pass into the bore A, after which themallet is used to drive the plunger downward and to force the dowel intothe work.

The dowels follow one another down the tube F from the receptacle G byfirst passing from the latter through the spout G by their own weightover the ridge G on which the dowels not in proper position in therecess of the ridge will drop off and pass into the suspended receptacleN. By this arrangement the dowels can pass in proper position to thetube F and down the same, as previously explained. The particularconstruction of the feed-tube F, which consists of coiled wire, is ofmaterial advantage since the said tube not only is readily flexible, butwill automatically shorten or lengthen itself when the distance betweenthe'head A and the feeding device G is altered, thus avoiding theformation of a slack or loop in the feedtube, which would interfere withthe sliding of the pins or dowels.

By providing each dowel-pin with two points it does not make anydifference which end comes down first in the spout G The spout C1 startson a level and is then curved downward to cause an increase in thevelocity of the pins as the latter move downward in the spout, so that anatural tendency exists to separate the pins one from the other and tocause the same to travel in single file by their own weight. As thisaccelerated speed is gradual, the lowermost pin in the spout G travelsfaster than the next upper one to it, so that the pins are slightlyseparated from each other, and consequently pass in proper shape intothe tube F.

The pins D are preferably made of a harder wood than the work into whichthe pins are driven, and the openings in the work caused by the lowerend of the plunger 0 are puttied up in the usual manner after the pinsare driven.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. A doweling machine, comprising a hollowhead, a movable plunger in the head, and a collar movable relatively tothe head and controlled by the plunger, the head and the collar beingprovided with a dowel feed passage arranged at an angle to the line ofmotion of the collar, substantially as described.

2. A doweling machine comprising a head formed with a longitudinal bore,and a side feed opening for delivering the pins or dowels to the saidbore, a plunger in the bore, a collar movable longitudinally of the headand controlled by the plunger, said collar having an opening adapted toregister with the side feed opening of the head, and inclined relativelyto the line of motion of the collar and a spring for returningthe collarto its normal position after it has been engaged by the plunger,substantially as described.

3. A doweling machine, comprising a head formed with a longitudinalbore, a side feed opening for delivering the pins or dowels to the saidbore, a plunger operatingin the bore, a spring-pressed collar held abovethe upper end of the head and adapted to be engaged by the plungershank, and a pawl held in the said head and adapted to be engaged by thesaid spring-pressed collar to move the pawl in contact with the doweland hold the same temporarily in place, substantially as shown anddescribed.

4:. A doweling machine, comprising a head formed with a longitudinalbore, and a side feed opening for delivering the pins or dowels to thesaid bore, a plunger in the bore, a movable collar controlled by theplunger, and a dowel-retaining device controlled by the movement of thecollar, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the'hollow head, the plunger movablelongitudinally therein, and the collar surrounding the plunger withinthe head and movable longitudinally thereof, the collar being controlledby the plunger, and the head and collar being provided with a dowel feedpassage inclined relatively to the line of motion of the collar,substantially as described.

6. The combination of the head, the plunger therein, the movable collarcontrolled by the plunger, the head and the collar being provided with adowel feed passage, and the pawl arranged to project into said passageand controlled by the said collar, substantially as described.

7. In a doweling or like machine, a feed device consisting of aninclined spout having a longitudinal groove in its upper surface topermit of a dowel sliding lengthwise thereon and a stop plate at thelower end of the spout and provided with a substantially circularthrough aperture registering with the groove of the spout, substantiallyas described.

8. In a 'doweling or like machine, a feed device consisting of aninclined spouthaving a longitudinal groove in its upper surface topermitof a dowel sliding lengthwise thereon, a stop plate located at thelower end of the spout and provided with a substantially circularthrough aperture registering with the groove of the spout, and a feedtube connected to the said plate and extending substantially inalignment with the lower end of the groove, substantially, as described.

CHRISTIAN ton'rsonnn.

Witnesses:

ROBERT E. MoFFA'r, P. A. AEPLI.

